A New Subject

Last week we had an unexpected dip in the number of airport transfers we provide for business passengers. From time to time we expect a quiet week and it can often be factored in to our expectations but this one was different.

Business passengers stop travelling at Christmas, summer shut-downs and Easter too. There is always a blip at the end of the financial year as travel budgets are used up, reset and allocated as well. There are always seasonal trends.

This year however, a new factor has entered the mix: staggered half-term school breaks. This is so pupils are off at different times and holiday prices are lowered by spread demand. England and Wales have different term calendars too!

This week is back on track with a constant flow of new bookings. So too is the congested traffic associated with rush-hour. Who would have thought that school closures would correlate so closely to motorway traffic movements.

Self Drive

On the news last week was Google's new self-driving car. To most people it may seem a gimmick but to a company like ours it could be viewed as a potential threat. The truth is, Google has been developing this idea for quite a while and when you dig a little deeper you find it has also made some big investments in apps and software to enter the taxi / limo / chauffeur market.

The online platform 'Uber' is controversial within the taxi and chauffeur trade across the globe because of the licencing laws it has contravened. Nonetheless it offers something valuable to its users. When travelling abroad to a city on business and the territory is unfamiliar, why not book a cab or limo service using a smart phone app which you know and trust?

People ask me if we are concerned. Well, not yet no. The geographic area that DrivenByQ serves would prove an extreme challenge for a self-driven vehicle to negotiate and in addition, the weather causes even more issues over the course of a year. In addition, the majority of our turnover comes from local corporate account holders.

The real question in my mind is not the threat to the private hire industry but whether the giants of the auto-mobile industry would allow Google to replace them? Would Ford or VW really allow their brands to be replaced with generic vehicles? I really wonder what travelling in automated cars reflects on the occupants and what statement it makes to society. Maybe only time will tell.

Flexing Some Muscle

You might have guessed it but as an owner of a business providing executive car services, I have a passion for cars and driving. I love the history of the motorcar. From steam powered horse carriages right to the latest hybrid hyper cars that top 200mph. Every once in a while I like to do something special in relation to the automobile. Something that gives me goose bumps.

After our wedding last year we decided to do something special for our honeymoon but waited until our baby boy was able to come with us. This year we took two weeks away and visited Orlando in Florida - famed for theme parks. After four very intensive days of roller coaster rides and sensory stimulation overload, we took the pace down a few notches and hired a car.

We opted for a 292bhp Dodge Charger and equipped with our steed we headed for the beach. The particular beach in question had sand just like any other but for a car enthusiast this was the place where the American muscle was created; where the growl of a racing V8 was first heard by the masses and the place where NASCAR was born: Daytona Beach!

Decades before, this is where a group of men (who originally modified and tuned their cars to outrun the police with moonshine in the prohibition era) gathered to compete against each other. They would race on the sand to see which car was quickest. Eventually they formed the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and the rest as they say is history!

In some ways, Daytona was like visiting the holy-grail. The activities of the 1930’s and 40’s came to life and no longer existed in just a book or TV documentary – they were real, reinforced by the spectacle of the Daytona Speedway. The best thing though is I can tell my son it was the first place in the whole world he sat on a beach and his Dad took him there in a muscle car.

Less Is More

I recently read ‘posting a blog less frequently but with more valuable content is better than posting regular content which nobody will read’. From a Search Engine perspective there are arguments against this theory but from a reader’s perspective, it is a valid point of view.

To be honest I receive little feedback about this blog because my colleagues say “I never read it”. When asked why, they simply say “it does not interest me”. Therefore the Internet Marketing Strategy I have been plotting for the last year needs reviewing.

I’m planning to ditch the technical approach and clinical understanding of rankings and instead, start featuring content in our social medial channels that is engaging, entertaining and reflective of the passion we have for what we do.

Demanding results in a short space of time in our business is unwise. The pressure is too intense and the stress clouds your judgement. Maybe content is king but quality content that people love has to be better! So expect less blogging from me and who knows, someone might read them.

Changing Gear

Many times I have said “I could never start DrivenByQ again”. The time, effort and sheer physical stamina needed in the early years is beyond me. I am not old by any means but I have to face reality. I am no longer in my prime. When you become accustomed to putting in so much time and effort for a business though, it conditions you to believe it is the only approach.

Right now I am seeing how strongly I have previously believed this philosophy. After our latest management meeting and three months of paternity leave, there was a distinct message coming from my (older) business partners telling me to ‘slow down’ – “Learn to pace yourself” the era of working 18 hour days on databases or spreadsheets or accounting systems are over.

It is time to recognise DrivenByQ is no longer a young business in demand of constant input to keep it developing. Instead it is able to stand on its own two feet and it has taken the birth of my son to make me see it - and seven months of him being around to understand what changes I need to make. On reflection it is time to feel proud of the achievement associated with owning a thriving business.

Instead of believing hard work is the only way to live, it is time to relax a little and realise what I originally set out to accomplish has been achieved. After four months paid paternity leave, I can take time off when necessary to be with my family, I will never miss a parents evening or school play and most of all I can be around to spend every possible minute with something precious.

Finally, the hard work, long hours and years of sacrifice are paying off.